Cold Nights
by astavares
Summary: This is the English version of my story "Noites Frias" in Portuguese. It's a glimpse into the Swan-Mills family. When people still frowns at his family, Henry knows that love is the key for everything.


Disclaimer: I don't own Once Upon a Time and its characters, but if I did, Emma Swan would be a better happy ending for Regina Mills. Just saying.

 **AN** : This is my first SwanQueen fanfiction. After four years, I still don't know if I'm really prepared to write about them, so you tell me.

* * *

It was late August, also the end of the day. I was sitting on my room's balcony – feet in the air, tucked in a pair of old comfortable socks – watching the sun go down when I heard the master bedroom door be opened and then be forcefully closed. I closed my eyes and sighed. Probably another fight. I took my time and then went find out who abused the door, and of course, wanted to know what had happened.

It was unusual that they quarreled, but it was common to hear doors slamming when this happened. I often had to be the adult in this family and solve most preposterous questions, like _someone_ leaving dishes in the washer, boots at the door or even murder of red jackets (the latter was the most difficult case to solve, the jacket was already almost part of the family).

In the kitchen, my mother was starting to prepare dinner. I took a look at the ingredients that she had separated and also what she was still picking from the refrigerator. Uh oh. A lot of things. It was a sign that she was really stressed. Cooking was her default way of dealing with things that put her on a bad mood.

"Mom, are we expecting visitors?"

My mother was startled up from where she was, near the fridge and dropped the bowl she was holding – pasta leftovers, from yesterday. Ops. I prepared myself to hear the scold that surely was coming, but instead my mother started laughing and then crying. I ran to her side.

"Mom, what happened? Did you hurt yourself, cut yourself? "

"No, Henry. I am fine."

She got up slowly, rubbing her hand on her skirt, trying to smooth creases that were probably formed when she fell to the ground. She shook her head, sighed and looked back at me, smiling a wry smile. She ran her fingers through my hair and gave me kiss on the forehead. At fifteen, I didn't fit anymore in my mother's embrace, where she used to put her chin on my head and kissing my hair.

"How was school today?"

I returned the kiss, but on her cheek. I nodded positively and sat at the counter. She looked at me, gave the "I'm very pissed" glare – disapproval of my behavior clear in her eyes – but didn't comment about it. I took an apple from the basket and began to eat. This time, she couldn't keep quiet.

"Henry, I'm already making dinner!"

"This kid only eats. Bet at dinnertime, will just inhale the food away. "

I smiled, still chewing the apple, the juice oozing out of my mouth. My mother just grimaced, her "aversion face" showing. My other mother had just called me a black hole.

"Hi Mom."

"Hi, kid. Give me one of those, too. "

Yeah, I have two mothers. The first is my adoptive mother, I've known her for my whole life. She is mayor of the city where I live. Regina Mills. My other mother is my biological mother, but I've known for five years only. She is the town sheriff, Emma Swan. And it has been two years that they are together, _almost living_ together. I mean, the three of us living together.

At first, I found it a bit strange. I thought my mother would never get well with Emma; they hated each other. But they began to get along when Emma turned sheriff and decided to go up against the mayor. My mother is very tough, very feared by the people in the city. But Emma doesn't care about that. I think that is what made my mother open the door of her life to Emma.

"Speaking of doors, why all that violence with the bedroom door, Emma?"

Emma looks at me, surprised. "Who was talking of doors, kid?"

Ops. "Oh, I was just thinking of doors. Anyway, what happened?"

My mom stop fidgeting with the pans and stare at us. Or rather, staring at Emma. I think it's amazing how they can communicate that way, only with their eyes. I feel excluded, but at the same time astonished, because it is at these times that I see how much they love each other.

My mother nods to Emma and turn to the pans.

"Kid, you know that is not everyone that understands how our family works, right?"

Ah. So the fight wasn't between them. Something happened on the street. She tells me that once again they were being judged because they are together. I took Emma's hand, went to my mother and took her hand as well.

"Doesn't matter. The love between us is the force that unites us. These people have cold hearts. Here, in this house, there is no cold nights that survive the warmth from our hearts. Remember, true love can break any curse? "

They both have tears in their eyes.

"Kid, I love you."

"Henry, my angel, I love you too."

"And I love you."

We hug and that is enough.

* * *

Dinner was more fun. And seeing my mothers happy together was enough for me. Even though the end of August was one of the coldest times of the year, tonight, the sadness and the hatred were not part of our private party. We went to the room to watch a movie, I lay on the couch and they both on the carpet. During the movie, I fell asleep.

The next day, I woke up between my mothers, on the living room carpet and immediately understood why hadn't felt cold all night. Because in this cold nights and so many others ahead, the love that came from the union of my mothers could thaw any cold heart.

And, of course, because I was still wearing my old pair of comfortable socks.


End file.
